Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Problem diagnosis

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 2
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous 1 2 template Next
    #1

    Problem diagnosis

    well i'll start off by saying i have no clue about engines. i know the basics about alternators and stuff only because it is relevant to car audio. but i have access to a ton of tools (my dad was a mechanic before he died) so i figure i mise well put them to use and learn something new. but on to the problem. the car leaks oil (not tons) and there is some yellow stuff on the oil dipstick when i check it. the oil is leaking out onto the engine block and starts smoking when the engine gets warm. i read somewhere that it might be a head gasket :S but i really have no clue and would like a suggestion on where to start.


    edit: btw its a 91 grand marquis.
    Tags: None
    #2
    where is it leaking oil from? like what area? Common places are valve cover gaskets, rear of the lower intake, and front of the lower intake. Bad PCV system will also make things leak a lot worse. The PCV system is 3 parts, the valve, the rubber grommet it sits in, and a screen under it. It lives at the back of the lower intake, sort of hard to see. There's a thread in the member submitted tech area about it, http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=21322

    if its real cold where you are, it could simply be that you're getting condensation in the engine. Is it just a little bit of yellow/white junk at the top of the dipstick and under the oil fill, or is the oil level way high and milky? Usually if you've got a head gasket problem that is putting water into the oil, your coolant level will also be dropping.
    86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
    5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

    91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

    1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

    Originally posted by phayzer5
    I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

    Everything looks like voodoo if you don't understand how it works

    Comment

      #3
      Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
      where is it leaking oil from? like what area? Common places are valve cover gaskets, rear of the lower intake, and front of the lower intake. Bad PCV system will also make things leak a lot worse. The PCV system is 3 parts, the valve, the rubber grommet it sits in, and a screen under it. It lives at the back of the lower intake, sort of hard to see. There's a thread in the member submitted tech area about it, http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=21322

      if its real cold where you are, it could simply be that you're getting condensation in the engine. Is it just a little bit of yellow/white junk at the top of the dipstick and under the oil fill, or is the oil level way high and milky? Usually if you've got a head gasket problem that is putting water into the oil, your coolant level will also be dropping.
      it has been pretty cold out lately and i haven't been driving it very far each time. i took about a 100 mile trip to pick up a friend sunday night and when i got home it just smoked for like 10 minutes and the block was covered in oil. i checked the oil this morning (now that i think of it there wasn't much yellow) and it had about (probably a bit more) 3/4 oil in it. should i just spray the engine down to try and get the oil off it so i can try to find the leak?

      Comment

        #4
        Valve cover gaskets. They are the most common and worst offenders. The yellow stuff is probably just condensation. If it hasn't been run for long periods of time that'll build up. Nothing to really worry about.
        Builder/Owner of Badass Panther Wagons

        Busy maintaining a fleet of Fords

        Comment

          #5
          Originally posted by J0n- View Post
          it has been pretty cold out lately and i haven't been driving it very far each time. i took about a 100 mile trip to pick up a friend sunday night and when i got home it just smoked for like 10 minutes and the block was covered in oil. i checked the oil this morning (now that i think of it there wasn't much yellow) and it had about (probably a bit more) 3/4 oil in it. should i just spray the engine down to try and get the oil off it so i can try to find the leak?
          yep yep, that's what happens when you drive short distances in cold weather, it doesn't get enough of a chance to warm up and get rid of that condensation. Nothing to really worry about.

          Yes you could clean the engine to see where it's leaking. Problem spots are usually the valve covers, they usually get loose and need to be retightened. and sometime the intake gaskets. But it wouldn't hurt to clean it up, and see where it's leaking. It's leaking on the exhaust manifolds so it's got to be the valve covers or the intake manifold gaskets leaking.
          Last edited by 86VickyLX; 02-20-2008, 12:31 AM.

          Comment

            #6
            warm the engine somewhat, but not up to full operating temperature. spray it down with a lot of your favorite strong degreaser. i like purple power. let it soak about 10-15 minutes. take a pressure washer and blast the crap off. might take a couple repeats to get everything nice and clean. Once its clean, drive it and see where the oil is coming from. Most likely valve covers though, it leaks right down onto the exhaust and smokes.
            86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
            5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

            91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

            1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

            Originally posted by phayzer5
            I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

            Everything looks like voodoo if you don't understand how it works

            Comment

              #7
              Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
              warm the engine somewhat, but not up to full operating temperature. spray it down with a lot of your favorite strong degreaser. i like purple power. let it soak about 10-15 minutes. take a pressure washer and blast the crap off. might take a couple repeats to get everything nice and clean. Once its clean, drive it and see where the oil is coming from. Most likely valve covers though, it leaks right down onto the exhaust and smokes.

              right before you start it up the first time take a wrench to all the valve cover bolts you can reach. or simply do that before the degreasing, chances are they are loose and all the oil buildup is from over time..

              was it fresh oil? or was it caked on black shit? if its fresh you better make sure you check the oil level or you will burn the motor up real quick.
              Give a man a fish and he will be fed for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will promptly forget that he once did not know, and proceed to call anyone who asks, a n00b and flame them on the boards for being stupid.

              Comment

                #8
                well i got time to take a look today and both valve covers are black, some caked on burnt shit and some fresh. so any advice (or tuts lying around here) on how to do this. i really have never worked on an engine so i'll be reading up on it and see if i think i can do it.

                Comment

                  #9
                  I would agree with the valve cover gaskets. Buy some good ones. I like the Ford ones (should be around $40 from the dealer) that are metal with a rubber insert. You can tighten them down without crushing them, resulting in a far better seal. They may be expensive, but they should be lifetime gaskets. My car had them from the factory, and when I removed them at 120K they were still in excellent shape.

                  The cork ones are shitty in my opinion; I'd advise that you avoid them as they crush when you tighten them.
                  **2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302: 5.0/ 6 spd/ 3.73s, 20K Cruiser
                  **2006 MGM,"Ultimate": 4.6/ 2.73/ Dark Tint, Magnaflows, 19s, 115K Daily Driver
                  **2012 Harley Davidson Wide Glide (FXDWG):103/ Cobra Speedsters/ Cosmetics, 9K Poseur HD Rider
                  **1976 Ford F-150 4WD: 360, 4 spd, 3.50s, factory A/C, 4" lift, Bilsteins, US Indy Mags, 35s Truck Duties

                  Comment

                    #10
                    x2 Get the ford gaskets. Reusable and they do not leak. I wouldn't tighten the bolts down now though. It can damage the covers.
                    Builder/Owner of Badass Panther Wagons

                    Busy maintaining a fleet of Fords

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Originally posted by mrltd View Post
                      x2 Get the ford gaskets. Reusable and they do not leak. I wouldn't tighten the bolts down now though. It can damage the covers.
                      Tis true. I tighten them, but I don't go Pop-eye on them.
                      **2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302: 5.0/ 6 spd/ 3.73s, 20K Cruiser
                      **2006 MGM,"Ultimate": 4.6/ 2.73/ Dark Tint, Magnaflows, 19s, 115K Daily Driver
                      **2012 Harley Davidson Wide Glide (FXDWG):103/ Cobra Speedsters/ Cosmetics, 9K Poseur HD Rider
                      **1976 Ford F-150 4WD: 360, 4 spd, 3.50s, factory A/C, 4" lift, Bilsteins, US Indy Mags, 35s Truck Duties

                      Comment

                        #12
                        how tight should i tighten them when i put the new gaskets on :S ?

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Originally posted by J0n- View Post
                          how tight should i tighten them when i put the new gaskets on :S ?
                          10-14 ft/lbs for the valve covers.. 12-18 for the upper intake bolts.
                          Last edited by cld783; 02-21-2008, 11:01 AM.
                          Give a man a fish and he will be fed for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will promptly forget that he once did not know, and proceed to call anyone who asks, a n00b and flame them on the boards for being stupid.

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Originally posted by cld783 View Post
                            10-14 ft/lbs for the valve covers.. 12-18 for the upper intake bolts.
                            thanks for the info.

                            i got paid today but work tomorrow, so on saturday if the weather is decent i'm going to try and tackle this. first i'm going to degrease the engine bay and clean it up a bit. figure i'll pick up one of those manuals (Haynes?) that are specific to my car and give it a go

                            Comment

                              #15
                              check your pm's i sent you some more info..
                              Give a man a fish and he will be fed for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will promptly forget that he once did not know, and proceed to call anyone who asks, a n00b and flame them on the boards for being stupid.

                              Comment

                              Previous 1 2 template Next
                              Working...
                              X